Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of Independent India also known as Chacha Nehru had a great admiration with
the erstwhile Himalayan Kingdom of Sikkim.
During his tenure as the Prime Minister of India he has visited the tiny
Himalayan Kingdom of Sikkim and had received approbation from its subjects. As per the report of Kanchenjunga,
the first news based Nepali journal of Sikkim, the late Indian Prime Minister reached
Rangpo, a bordering town (that bordered Sikkim with India) in the morning of 28th
December 1957 on his way to Gangtok, the Capital of Kingdom of Sikkim. He was
warmly welcomed by then Maharaja Sir Tashi Namgyal, the heir apparent Palden
Thondup Namgyal, Nari K. Rustamji the Indian Dewan and the Executive Councillors
of Sikkim Assembly. The journal further informs that the Indian Prime Minister
was greatly welcomed by the people of Rangpo. “A crowd, busy in watching football match get into the town after
hearing his arrival to wave their hands to the Prime Minister” the journal
reports. After the grand welcome at Rangpo Dak Bunglow, Pandit Nehru inspected the working at Rangpo copper Mining. He further
insisted for the creation of own Indian machines for the development of such mines
in Sikkim. After his brief visit to Rangpo Copper Mining the Indian Prime
Minister visited Singtam Bazar and acknowledged the greetings made by the
people of Singtam at School Phatak. At
Singtam, he visited food preservation factory, constructed under the Seven
Years Plan adopted by the Royal Government of Sikkim.

Indian Prime Minister Nehru at Palzor Namgyal Girls School

He
was also warmly welcomed by the people at 32 NO Ghattey School (now Brihaspati
Parsai Sr. Sec School) Ranipool Golai, Deorali and Gangtok Bazar. The jeeps accompanying
the Indian Prime Minister made several rounds of the capital clamouring the
slogan of Panchseel Zindabaad. On the same day, the Indian Prime Minister
also visited Technical Institute, Tashiling Secretariat and STNM hospital and made
a round of the Capital Town. In the evening, Pandit Nehru attended Garden Tea
Party at Sikkim Palace hosted by the King Shree Panch Maharajadhiraj Sir Tashi Namgyal.

The report of Nehru's Visit to Sikkim published in Kanchenjunga

The
Report of Pt. Nehru’s visit was published in Kanchenjunga, (Vol.5 year 1957)
the first News based journal of Sikkim. A copy of this journal is preserved by
Shree Ganesh Kumar Pradhan of Rhenock at his private museum Ramgauri
Sangrahalaya Rhenock East Sikkim)

Antiques and artifacts have always fascinated me since
my childhood which was possibly the rudiments in my unripe infant mind for an
advanced historical investigation in my days to come. I have just loved these
relics and have always enjoyed their structural designs. They are just
awe-inspiring and are the bystanders of the “massive alter” which has utterly
changed the very face of a human society. During my Post Graduate Days in
Pune University, I always enjoyed to sit and study atSaniwarwada, the remains of the erstwhile palace of the Peshwas.
Though, it was burnt down by the British after their antagonism with the
Peshwas, but it still has many features to drag the attention of a history
lover. The other such structures where I always wanted to visit in Pune were
Vishrantawadi, Aga Khan Palace, Deccan College, and Ferguson College and so on.
They have always inspired me to love such remains with a great sense of
respect.

There
are many such antiques scattered throughout the state of Sikkim, but, our tendency
of chirping into the History of Sikkim from the windows of marvellous edifice
of Gangtok has compelled such antiques to remain behind the curtail. It is an
irony to say that the objects of historical importance are not dragging any attention
of any NGOs and authorities. This is a tale of an old Lepcha House, counting
its last days, situated at Chongrang at Tashiding in West Sikkim. The present owner
of the said Lepcha House is Mr. Tshwang Tashi Lepcha. He has informed us that
it was constructed somewhere 140 years before by his great grand father. If we
have to believe on his aphorism, the House was constructed in 1871 and bears
all the traditional features of a Lepcha House.

Plastic Cover- A temporary measure

The
old Lepcha structural design is standing on the huge log pillars on every
corners of the foundation. For the further support to the house, stone walls on
the two sides are constructed and has left open to serve other village purpose
like keeping the ripe crops or may say keeping livestock during rainy season and so on. Above the
walls and wooden pillars rooms were separated for the residential purpose. The floor
in the upstairs is made up of firewood, which are kept crisscrossing each
other. This sort of built-up not only makes a structure strong but also
provides warmth to fight against the chilling winters.

The roof of the House

The
most interesting part of this house is indeed its roof which is still covered
with Siru (a local grass used by
Sikkimese peasantry to serve the purpose of covering a house or shed). I still
can remember my childhood days when we too had a house which had a roof of Siru and during rains it had considerable
leaching. To tie up the said grass with the bamboo piece, the ancient Lepchas
had use Choya (a thread made by
pilling a bamboo). To give a final touch to the roof, they used Choya in a most synchronising manner so
that the grass could remain intact to protect the house from seepage.

Another
striking feature of this house is that it was constructed without using a
single nail. To keep other beams and woods firmly, they made holes on the huge
wooden pillars so that it could remain at the exact place where it was suppose
to be. The floor of firewood was pasted by a thick layer of clay that could
give them warmth and they could also keep fire burning the whole night during
winters.

Mr. Tshewang Tashi Lepcha-the present owner

This
old Lepcha House is at the verge of its demise and its owner, Mr. Tshewang
Lepcha is unable to maintain it due to his poverty. The stones of its wall are
getting away from their places and its roof has got many holes. He has now made
a temporary arrangement by covering its roof by a plastic to keep his family
members safe from the rain. Likewise, the floor is decaying and to get rid of
it the owner is still following traditional method of pasting those patches
with clay. This house needs an immediate attention from the concerned
authorities or else it will be decayed within a few years.